Clowney is rated as the No. 1 defensive end prospect for the 2014 NFL Draft and the No. 2 overall player in this year's class. Only Texas A&M senior offensive tackle Jake Matthews is currently rated above him. It would be considered a shock if Clowney fell out of the top-five picks on draft day.

MOVING ONPossible top-5 pick Clowney declares for draftArguably the most talented NFL prospect in this class or in recent years, Clowney is a freak athlete for his size (6-5, 275) with above average first step quickness and the ability to convert speed to power. His burst, flexibility and overall strength are outstanding and allow him to make an impact as both a run blocker and pass rusher. Although his production was down in 2013 (only 3 sacks compared to 13 last year), Clowney's impact cannot be fully appreciated in the stat sheet as he often was double-teamed and received special treatment from opposing offenses who left a tight end or running back on his side of the field.

But despite the immense natural talent, Clowney is not a flawless prospect and there will be several questions that he'll need to answer during the pre-draft process. His effort and overall passion have been questioned by scouts and it's something that has shown on tape.

“He's a modern day Randy Moss,” said an AFC East scout on Clowney. “J.C. doesn't have the same type of criminal background as Randy did when he was his age, but the dependence on natural talent and problematic effort concerns are very similar. Difference is, Clowney won't fall out of the top-seven like Randy did.”

The “effort” concerns don't exist because his statistics dipped in 2013 compared to last season, but rather because he appeared tentative and fatigued too often during his junior year. Was he playing not to get hurt or are there legitimate effort concerns?

“In high school, he was the best player on the field. Same in the SEC,” the scout added. “But he needs to realize that won't be the case in the league. If he wants to have a career longer than a few seasons, the kid needs to wake up, add some glass to his diet and understand that it'll take a lot more work during the week.”

Clowney also battled a foot injury throughout the season and despite saying on Wednesday that he had “no plans” for surgery, it's something to monitor.

A native of Rock Hill, S.C. where he attended South Pointe High School, Clowney was the crown jewel recruit when he arrived at South Carolina and his legend seemed to grow more and more, eventually getting to the point where it was impossible for him to live up to the hype. His “football character” will likely be a hot topic over the next few months, but it should also be noted that he plays a position where concerns in that area aren't as magnified for NFL teams like they would be if he played quarterback.

If Clowney is on the board at six they better sprint the card with his name on it to the Commish. With the Falcons having to face Drew Brees and Cam Newton twice a year we cant afford to improve this defense. I think the Falcons have a strong locker room and good veteran leadership, which should be help keep Clowney on the straight and narrow and get the most out of him. The only thing I am waiting on is to see who they will hire as the D-lineman coach.

If Clowney is on the board at six they better sprint the card with his name on it to the Commish. With the Falcons having to face Drew Brees and Cam Newton twice a year we cant afford to improve this defense. I think the Falcons have a strong locker room and good veteran leadership, which should be help keep Clowney on the straight and narrow and get the most out of him. The only thing I am waiting on is to see who they will hire as the D-lineman coach.

He will not be on the board at number 6. I can almost bet $100 on it. The Falcons are gonna have to trade up to the 2nd pick if they wanted to get their hands on Clowney, which makes me think -- what exactly would we have to give up in order for that to happen?

I would be highly opposed to trading away our second round pick, but if we can plug a few holes on the OL/DL in the free agency before the draft, I wouldn't mind trading our third round pick along with a fifth round pick to move up in the draft. It is, after all, only four spots to move down from if you are thinking from the Rams' perspective.

If Clowney is on the board at six they better sprint the card with his name on it to the Commish. With the Falcons having to face Drew Brees and Cam Newton twice a year we cant afford to improve this defense. I think the Falcons have a strong locker room and good veteran leadership, which should be help keep Clowney on the straight and narrow and get the most out of him. The only thing I am waiting on is to see who they will hire as the D-lineman coach.

He will not be on the board at number 6. I can almost bet $100 on it. The Falcons are gonna have to trade up to the 2nd pick if they wanted to get their hands on Clowney, which makes me think -- what exactly would we have to give up in order for that to happen?

I would be highly opposed to trading away our second round pick, but if we can plug a few holes on the OL/DL in the free agency before the draft, I wouldn't mind trading our third round pick along with a fifth round pick to move up in the draft. It is, after all, only four spots to move down from if you are thinking from the Rams' perspective.

I dont think he will be there at 6 neither unless something crazy happens between now and April. If thats all it would take to get Clowney I would be all for it. Looking at the teams ahead all we would really have to do is jump the Raiders. I am pretty sure that all the teams ahead of the Raiders will be drafting QBs and Matthews.

I don't think it requires anything "crazy." It just requires that all the talk that Clowney isn't "committed" to football just comes true.

What happens if Clowney gets a DUI or gets arrested at a strip club? What happens if Clowney claims a phantom injury and doesn't work out at the Combine? What happens if Clowney comes off aloof during the interviews at the Combine? What happens if we're in March at South Carolina's pro day and Clowney isn't able to work out or has a lackluster workout thanks to not being committed in the offseason?

Would I bet on any of these things happening? No. But I also wouldn't bet against them either. The scenario where Clowney is there at 6 is one that is easy to envision. All these QB-needy teams pull the trigger at the top of the draft, with 4 of the first 5 selections being QBs and the 5th being a player like Jake Matthews. Or guys like Barr, Mack having really strong off seasons comparable to players like Dion Jordan and Von Miller (two players both have been compared to), without any of the character question marks, and surpass Clowney.

Again, it's a very long offseason folks. A lot will happen. Just be patient and let things play out. When we get to March and free agency hits, then you can start to panic and hyperventilate about who the Falcons will land. Until then, just sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.

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